According to The Punch, a party member said that Mmegbuaneze had attended the exercise against the advice of his doctors after he had been hospitalised for an undisclosed illness.

Despite that the Press Secretary to the House of Assembly, Mr. Emma Mmadu, could not confirm the lawmaker's death, a Special Adviser to GovernorObiano, Chief Chiedozie Ezeugwa, described it as an unexpected huge loss.